What type of stereoisomerism is exhibited by 1,2-dibromopropane?
Practice Questions
Q1
What type of stereoisomerism is exhibited by 1,2-dibromopropane?
Geometric isomerism
Optical isomerism
Conformational isomerism
No stereoisomerism
Questions & Step-by-Step Solutions
What type of stereoisomerism is exhibited by 1,2-dibromopropane?
Step 1: Understand what stereoisomerism is. It refers to compounds that have the same molecular formula and connectivity of atoms but differ in the arrangement of atoms in space.
Step 2: Identify the structure of 1,2-dibromopropane. It has a three-carbon chain (propane) with two bromine atoms attached to the first and second carbon.
Step 3: Determine if there are any chiral centers in the molecule. A chiral center is a carbon atom that is attached to four different groups.
Step 4: In 1,2-dibromopropane, the second carbon (C2) is attached to a bromine, a hydrogen, a carbon (C1), and another carbon (C3), making it a chiral center.
Step 5: Since there is a chiral center, 1,2-dibromopropane can exist in two different forms (enantiomers) that are mirror images of each other.
Step 6: Conclude that 1,2-dibromopropane exhibits optical isomerism because of the presence of the chiral center.
